Could South Wigston - Leicester be quadrupled to increase capacity for additional services and increased reliability?

[yorksrob]

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It's the approach from the south as much as it is the platforms.

I know the junction facing the wrong way is an issue, but there is room for quadruple track between there and the station.

 

[Ianno87]

I know the junction facing the wrong way is an issue, but there is room for quadruple track between there and the station.

OK, load the cost of 4 tracking onto the Ivanhoe business case and see what happens to the BCR...

 

[yorksrob]

OK, load the cost of 4 tracking onto the Ivanhoe business case and see what happens to the BCR...

Surely you would allocate that as a main line improvement ?

 

[Bald Rick]

I'm surprised Leicester is near capacity. Two island platforms seems quite uncramped for the of IC services and cross country routes that cross there.

As @Ianno87 says, it’s the stretch from Leicester to Wigston that’s the issue. Leicester to Syston isn’t far behind (but not relevant here).

I know the junction facing the wrong way is an issue, but there is room for quadruple track between there and the station.

The issue is the crossing move from the main line to the branch. Don’t forget there’s are serious proposals for grade separation at Wigston to get more trains from Leicester towards Nuneaton. Conceptually in the timetable there is no difference between a southbound train turning right at Wigston, and a southbound train turning right at Knighton Junction.

I suspect there is an answer, but it may not be very attractive service or cost wise.

 

[Ianno87]

Surely you would allocate that as a main line improvement ?

Which needs to happen / be committed first for any Ivanhoe reopening to stack up.

 

[yorksrob]

As @Ianno87 says, it’s the stretch from Leicester to Wigston that’s the issue. Leicester to Syston isn’t far behind (but not relevant here).



The issue is the crossing move from the main line to the branch. Don’t forget there’s are serious proposals for grade separation at Wigston to get more trains from Leicester towards Nuneaton. Conceptually in the timetable there is no difference between a southbound train turning right at Wigston, and a southbound train turning right at Knighton Junction.

I suspect there is an answer, but it may not be very attractive service or cost wise.

A comparatively simple option would be to slew the main lines to the centre of the formation and leave the current down line as a reversible line from the junction to the down loop platform. You could even put in a turnback siding north of Leicester station if need be.

 

[Ianno87]

A comparatively simple option would be to slew the main lines to the centre of the formation and leave the current down line as a reversible line from the junction to the down loop platform. You could even put in a turnback siding north of Leicester station if need be.

If you're going to do that level of work, it needs to be an arrangement that supports the eventual 4 tracking. You don't want to spend money changing a layout like that, only to spend more changing it again a few years later.

 

[Ianno87]

Well, the reversible line could easily double as a down slow. I believe that there's a similar situation north of Peterborough.

If the flyover is provided at Wigston, the eventual arrangement would be (West to East)

Down MML
Up MML
Down Nuneaton
Up Nuneaton

So you'd be talking about not building the eventual Up MML track initially.

Even so, it would still be accepting sinking the majority of the remodelling cost of Leicester station (at least the south end) up front and sticking it on the Ivanhoe business case.

 

[yorksrob]

If the flyover is provided at Wigston, the eventual arrangement would be (West to East)

Down MML
Up MML
Down Nuneaton
Up Nuneaton

So you'd be talking about not building the eventual Up MML track initially.

Even so, it would still be accepting sinking the majority of the remodelling cost of Leicester station (at least the south end) up front and sticking it on the Ivanhoe business case.

Why stick it on the Ivanhoe business case ? They're preparatory works for remodelling/electrification surely.

 

[Ianno87]

Why stick it on the Ivanhoe business case ? They're preparatory works for remodelling/electrification surely.

That's a pretty big assumption and £££ risk to be realised if Leicester remodelling isn't forthcoming (which, at present, has no fundimg or commitment behind it)